Islam
Overview
I could not possibly cover all of medieval Islam in twenty or so Web pages, nor even that part of Islam most directly affected by the Crusades. In any case, I have not studied the subject, except by way of studying the Crusades and the Middle Ages in general. What I will attempt here, then, is only an introduction to that portion of the Islamic world that impinged on the Crusader States and those aspects of the religion that seem necessary for this class. For those wishing a better understanding of Islam, I will refer the reader to the references given at the end of this essay.
I will begin with a very quick sketch of the history of Islam from Muhammed up to the 11th century, with particular attention to an explanation of Shi'a and Sunni, and the relation of Muslims to the other "peoples of the Book." I will then describe the major political powers in the Near East at the time of the First Crusade. The bulk of the essay will then be devoted to a survey of the 12th and 13th centuries.